


You Could Call It Fate

by louisfringe



Category: One Direction
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 12:24:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/953069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louisfringe/pseuds/louisfringe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>harry and louis went to highschool together, never really talked but occasionally bumped shoulders in the halls. when they both move to l.a. to find themselves, they end up finding eachother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Bar

**Author's Note:**

> i'm american so don't give me too much shit about my attempt at british slang and what not, i'm trying. but if you do see some sort of mistake feel free to message me and i'll fix it up :)  
> by the way this is just the first chapter so it will get better (and definitely longer) i promise

The hot sun beat down on Louis' tanned skin. He never imagined Los Angeles so be so beautiful. His eyes gazed across the panoramic view in front of him. It was almost like a dream, the mountains and the palm trees were almost unrealistic. He immediately held his phone up and snapped a photo, of course posting it on Instagram to his forty-nine followers. 

"Hey Liam?" Louis held his phone to his ear after dialing his best friends number.

"Yeah, are you here?" Liam answered him in an enthusiastic tone.

"Yes, where are you?" Louis looked around him, not seeing his friend in the crowds.

"Right here." Liam snuck up behind him and whispered in his ear.

Louis jumped and held his hand to his chest. "Jesus Liam you scared me half to death." He slid his phone back into his pocket.

"That's all I get? No hug?" Liam chuckled and flashed him a grin with his arms wide open.

"Right, I missed you pal." Louis walked into Liam's arms and embraced him, letting Liam's light stubble caress his cheek.

Pulling apart, Liam grabbed one of Louis' suitcases and walked to his car.

-

Unpacked and settled into Liam's spacious apartment, Louis sat himself on the couch next to Liam. "So, what's there to do here?"

"Did you really just ask me that?"

Red filled Louis' cheeks as he realized how foolish he must've sounded.

"We should go out tonight?"

"Like.. A bar?"

"Yes, Louis."

"Sorry, it's just been awhile."

"C'mon, I'll get Zayn to bring a good friend of ours. Big partier, loads of fun."

"Is he cute?"

"If I was single, I'd probably shag him." 

"What's he look like?"

"Dirty blonde hair, blue eyes. You're type." Liam turned the television on.

"What makes you think that's my type?"

"C'mon. We've been friends for years Lou, I know you."

Louis shrugged and settled down into the couch. He kept thinking about his past boyfriends and how he wished he would've been smarter. Sure, he had a good time letting them take advantage of him, but besides the fun he's had Louis regrets being so soft in his relationships. If his boyfriend asked to give him a shag in the stalls after a good football match he wouldn't have the guts to say no, and that's what scared Louis the most about graduating. In high school it's bearable to be weak and let people use you. But in life it would be so much harder. That's part of the reason Louis spent three years in his house only going out to buy groceries and get the mail. 

-

"Are you ready yet?!" Liam shouted to the bathroom door that's been shut and locked for about twenty minutes.

"Just give me a minute." Louis spoke softly, knowing Liam was right outside the door. He stood, face inches away from the mirror, making sure his fringe was just right.

"You've been in there for ages! I need to get ready still, c'mon."

Seeming to look his best, Louis stepped out of the bathroom as Liam rushed in. They were due to leave in twenty minutes and the butterflies in Louis' stomach made him feel as if he were about to vomit. He hasn't been out in a while and being set up with one of Liam's friends isn't making him feel any better.

-

As they arrived at the local bar, Louis' noticed it was much classier than he expected. There were the occasional drunken idiot falling to the ground but overall the people didn't seem as wild as he was used to. This seemed to settle his nerves a bit.

"This is Niall, the one I told you about?" Liam sat down at a booth that was occupied by Liam's boyfriend Zayn and the blonde.

Louis took a sit next to Liam and smiled nervously at Niall. "Nice to meet you."

"You too mate." He grinned as he chugged down a beer bottle he'd been holding.

After a while of talking Louis felt a bit left out, mostly because Liam and Zayn spent their time making out and Niall was downing alcohol like it was his job. And when they weren't doing either of those things they were going on about something Louis obviously wasn't apart of, so he decided to go up to the bar and sit there for awhile, maybe make some conversation with the bartender or a totally wasted loner drinking his sorrows away.

"Just give me something light please." Louis looked up at the bartender who looked oddly familiar.

"I've got just the thing for you." He said without even a glance.

Louis noticed he also has an accent and decided he'd be a perfect victim of small talk.

"Here you are." The bartender said with a cheeky smile.

"Thanks.. By the way, I can't help but notice you have an accent, where are you from?"

"Born in Cheshire, grew up in Doncaster, what about you?" His voice was deep and raspy.

"Really? I grew up in Doncaster as well, what school did you go to?"

"Halls Cross, you?" He answered as he ran a dish towel across the bar.

"Same.. What's your name..?" Louis' eyebrows crinkled in concentration as he tried to figure out who he was before he answered.

"Harry. Harry Styles." He looked up at him and smiled. 

"Harry! I remember you, I'm Louis!" His face lit up as he realized this was the guy he spent drooling over from the moment Harry came into his highschool to the moment Louis graduated.

"Louis...?" Harry squinted his eyes.

"Tomlinson, you remember me don't you?"

"Oh! Louis! Football player. Really good football player."

Louis blushed. "I suppose. Small world. Why'd you come to L.A?" 

"Needed a break from the same old thing. Thought'd I'd come here, see what the buzz was about." Harry stepped away and took some orders before he returned to Louis.

"I see. How long you been here?"

"Only a few months, packed and left right when I graduated. You?"

"Today actually, just got here this morning."

"You must be terribly jet lagged."

"No, I'm fine really. It'll hit me later."

Harry chuckled. "Well welcome to the city."

"Thanks." Louis finished his drink and set it back down on the table. "How long are you working for?"

"In a few minutes I'll be off, would you like another drink before I go?"

"Sure, why not."

Fetching his drink, Harry set down a napkin with the drink on top of it. "It was nice seeing you again, we should keep in touch yeah?" He swung a jacket over his heart print shirt and shook his hair. 

"Yeah, for sure." Louis waved him goodbye and looked down to his drink, there was something written on the napkin.

Harry's number.

Louis smiled to himself and stuffed the napkin in his pocket.


	2. The Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> louis decides to give a call to harry. louis and niall bond.

"Ready mate?" Liam snuck up behind Louis and nearly made him drop his glass.

"Oh, yeah. What time is it?" Louis asked, thinking they'd only been there for an hour.

"Three in the morning."

"Woah." Louis took a moment to gather himself and get off the barstool, he wobbled a bit but caught himself before tumbling over, he'd always been good at controlling himself when drunk.

"I'm driving, looks like I'm the only sober one anyhow." Liam set off to his car as Niall, Zayn and Louis followed.

Liam wasn't one to drink at all, he only had one kidney so he couldn't afford to abuse that. But Liam never let that bother him, he'd go out with the guys and drink a soda or water but have the same amount of fun as the others, and they'd always have a designated driver.

-

As they arrived to their apartment Niall and Zayn followed them inside. Louis was confused but he didn't care he just scurried to his bedroom and sat on his bed. He took the phone number out of his pocket and stared at it, wondering why Harry gave it to him. Louis knew for sure Harry wasn't gay, he couldn't be. He had had so many girlfriends in high school, even though Louis never had a class with him, for he was three years older than him, he was always keeping an eyes on him, watching him as he ate his lunch with all his friends, girls surrounding him as Louis ate alone. He secretly envied Harry and how popular he was but he wouldn't ever admit that. So sitting here with the boy he'd been swooning over for years' number in his hand, Louis was overwhelmed. 

He desperately tried thinking of an excuse to call him but quickly remembered that he never paid Harry for his drinks. Perfect excuse to call him. But wait, it was three in the morning. "Shit."

Louis decided he'd just give him a ring tomorrow when he woke up. He pulled the covers over him and nestled in, not bothering to take off his clothes and change into his night attire. His eyes closed and just when he was about to fall asleep he heard faint moaning from the next room over.

"For fucks sake." Louis whipped the covers off of him and sat up. This wouldn't be the first time Liam had woken up Louis with his loud cries. He'd always been a load one.

Standing up, he walked out into the living and found Niall, he was sitting on the couch eating a sandwich, crumbs falling all over his chest.

If Louis wasn't still drunk this would've bothered him but he didn't even look twice as he walked to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.

"Louis?" Niall called to him.

"Yeah." Louis blushed with embarrassment. He wasn't expecting to be noticed.

"Can't sleep either?"

Louis peered out of the kitchen to the living room, Niall was sitting on his knees, arms on the back of the couch.

He smiled at Louis.

"No, they're so loud." He walked to the couch and sat next to Niall.

Niall sat back down normally and turned to face Louis. "I know. It's always like this though."

"Are you here often?"

"Liam didn't tell you..?"

Louis took a sip of his water and looked at Niall in confusion.

"I live here mate!"

Louis' eyes widened. "Oh. Does Zayn as well?"

Niall shook his head. "Nope, it's just us." 

Louis nodded, for some reason he was relieved that there was someone else here with him. "So, how long have you known Liam?"

"Quite some time, probably five years."

"Why haven't I heard of you before?"

Niall shrugged. "Probably 'cause Zayn's all he talks about." He said with a tone that made Louis think Niall was jealous of the attention Liam gives Zayn.

"That's very true."

"Sounds like they've calmed down." Niall moved his head towards the hallway. 

You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet. "Finally." Louis sighed.

"I suppose your off to bed now?" Niall looked at Louis with unintentional sad eyes.

Louis felt bad to leave Niall here alone. He felt like he was babysitting and the kid he was watching just asked Louis to read him a bedtime story. "Uh, nah I can sit here for awhile with you."

Niall's face lit up. "Awesome. So how'd you and Liam meet?"

"Our parents knew eachother. What about you?"

"Through Zayn, funny actually, Zayn had introduced us because we were both single, and we hit it off real well. We were on the road to a relationship when all of a sudden I walked in on them shaggin'." Niall shrugged. 

"Oh wow.."

"Yeah, so why'd you come to L.A? Liam forced you like he did Zayn and I?"

Louis shook his head. "No, just needed a break and thought since I had mates here I'd just come visit."

"So you aren't staying here permanently?"

"Not sure yet. If I like it."

"So who was that curly haired guy you were talking to at the bar? You were chatting him up like you'd known him for years." 

"Oh, that's Harry. Went to high school with him."

"Ah. He was cute."

Louis blushed. "I know."

"Ooooh. I see." 

"You see what?"

"You fancy him."

"I do not!" Louis blushed even more.

"C'mon, you're redder than a tomato. You so want to shag him."

Louis covered his face. "He'd never go for me." He mumbled.

"Oh shut up. Have some self confidence mate."

He shrugged. 

"Well," Niall yawned. "I should get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning. I make a pretty kickass breakfast." He smiled and went to his room.

Louis waved him off and sat on the couch for a moment, thinking about what Niall had just said.

-

"Wake up you lazy bum!" Louis heard a familiar Irish accent yell at him.

He opened his eyes and Niall was stood over him, he looked around him and realized he fell asleep on the couch last night.

"You have a room you know." Niall eased his weight on his left leg and put his arm on his waist. His other hand occupied by a spatula with egg remains on it.

"I know, I must've fallen asleep here." He sat up too fast and grabbed his head which was now throbbing. "Fuck."

"C'mon, I'm making breakfast. You can help me." Niall walked to the kitchen.

Louis stood up groggily and walked slowly to the kitchen. "How are you functioning so well, aren't you hungover?"

"Yeah. But I'm used to it. Doesn't bother me as much as it used to." He said as he put some bread in the toaster.

"Lucky." Louis rubbed his head and put the coffee pot on. "Liam and Zayn still asleep?"

"No, they went at it this morning. Probably worn out. I swear they're more sex enthusiasts than I am."

Louis chuckled. 

Niall looked over to Louis in amazement that someone actually laughed at his joke. "Finally someone recognizes true humor."

Louis smiled.

-

Breakfast was done and the four boys devoured it. 

"You really do make amazing breakfast Ni." Liam sat back in his chair rubbing his stomach.

"Thanks. Louis helped me." Niall looked over at Louis.

Louis turned red from the sudden attention. "Uh, yeah, yeah I did."

"Alright, I should go now. I have work soon. Thanks for the food boys." Zayn stood up from his seat. "I'll see you guys later." He pecked Liam on the lips and grabbed his jacket.

"By Zayn." Everyone called to him as he walked out.

"You twats couldn't have been any louder last night." Niall said as he picked up the dishes.

"Sorry, I do admit I can be a bit loud."

"A bit?! Neither be or Louis could sleep last night."

"Sorry, I'll try to tone it down a bit." Liam looked over to Louis. "Oh by the way, Niall lives here." Liam bit his lip.

"Yeah, cleared that up with the lad last night. Couldn't stop talking about Zayn for one minute to tell him I lived here?!" Niall was obviously getting fed up.

"Niall, I'm sorry. Drop it."

Niall rolled his eyes.

"I'll um, be in my bedroom." Overwhelmed by the tension, Louis rushed to his bedroom and closed the door behind him.

He sat on his bed and grabbed the napkin with Harry's number on it off his sidetable. He picked up his phone and took a long, deep breath before dialing.

"Hello?" Harry picked up, he sounded as if he just woke up.

"Hi- Um. I-is this Harry?" Louis fiddled with his pant leg.

"Yeah, and this is..?"

"Louis. Uh- F-from the bar."

"Oh hey, how're you?"

"Good. I hope I didn't wake you.."

"No it's okay, it's about time I wake up anyway."

"Right. So um, I called because I- um I remembered I never paid you for my drinks."

Harry laughed lightly. "Something tells me that's not the reason you called me."

Louis blushed. His lips pursed as he tried to speak but he had nothing to say.

"Tell ya what, take me to dinner tonight, and we'll call it even."

"I- um. Y-yeah, I could do that." Louis tried not to smile but his lips curled up anyway.

"Great. See you at six. I'll text you my address. Wear something nice."

"Uh yeah- Will do."

"See ya." 

"Bye.." Louis hung up and stared at his phone for a moment before letting out a little squeal of excitement. He was never really lucky. Always last picked in gym class, parents never gave two shits about him, never had many friends at all, always picked on about his sexuality which he never really came out about, people just picked up on it. So right now Louis was ecstatic. The popular boy in school actually noticed him and wanted to take him out. 

Wait.

Was Harry gay? Louis never expected Harry to be gay, but maybe he was just over thinking things and maybe Harry just wanted to be good friends with Louis. Of course Louis was always one to over think and sometimes over thought his over thinking. Even though Louis never realized it, he was very low on himself and very tight wound. 

Back home Louis always made sure his house was in order. Cleaning everyday, eating only at the table, even though he never left the house it looked like no one even lived there.

-

It was almost time for Louis' date and he still hasn't showered or done anything with himself at all. Liam's been in the bathroom for a good hour doing God knows what.

"Liam get out of the fucking bathroom I need to get ready for my date!" Louis banged on the door.

"Now you know how it feels." Liam answered.

"I wasn't in there nearly as long as you've been."

"Beauty takes time Lou."

"Get out before I bust this door down!"

The door unlocked and Liam walked out. 

"You were in there for an hour, for that?" 

"What?! I look hot."

"Mhm." Louis ran into the bathroom and slammed the door before Liam could get back in there.

He ran the shower and stepped in. Rushing himself but making sure he looked his best. He dried his hair and put on his best clothes. 

Walking out to the living room, he was greeted by whistling. "Damn, who are you trying to impress?" Niall checked him out.

Louis blushed, as usual. "Oh, nothin- no one, just going out with a friend."

"Bar dude huh? Well you're definitely gunna be shagged tonight." Niall gave him a pat on the back.

Louis laughed nervously. "I- I better get going.." Louis walked out of the door quickly.

He arrived at Harry's and walked to the door, reaching his hand to knock but before his tiny knuckles could hit the door it was opening, revealing a cheeky Harry dressed to the nines.


End file.
